ROME, Italy (AFP) — Pope Francis on Friday accused United States presidential rivals Donald Trump and Kamala Harris of being “against life” as he returned to Rome from an epic 12-day tour of the Asia-Pacific.

The 87-year-old pontiff’s comments came as he was asked by journalists onboard the papal plane returning from Singapore about the looming US elections in November.

“Both are against life. The one who discards migrants and the one who kills children. Both are against life,” he said.

Former president Trump has promised to round up illegal immigrants and deport them as he seeks to return to the White House in the looming November election.

He also paved the way for a 2022 US Supreme Court ruling that overturned Roe v Wade, the 1973 ruling that made abortion a national right for women — a right that Harris has pledged to restore.

“One has to choose the lesser of two evils. Who is the lesser evil? That lady or that gentleman? I don’t know. Everyone have to think and make this decision according to their conscience,” Francis said.

In Washington, Karine Jean-Pierre, spokesperson for President Joe Biden — himself a Roman Catholic — said that “obviously the pope speaks for himself, and I don’t have any more comments.”

“I have not spoken to the president about the pope’s specific comments on this coming election,” she said.